Cabinet construction



Sept. 15, 1953 K. PETERSON CABINET CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMarch 24, 1950 'IN VEN TOR.

ALB/1V K PETERSON;

A. K. PETERSON CABINET CONSTRUCTION Sept; 15, 1953 Filed March 24, 1950r 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v y I INVENTOR. ETEESOIV,

Arr-021w? ALB/N K Illl I G .7 I I wwz Sept. 15, 1953 A. K. PETERSONCABINET I CONSTRUCTION Filed March 24, 1950 mmvron A4swv K srsesouPatented Sept. 15, 1953 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l.

2,652,308 i Y I CABINET CONSTRUCTION Albin K. Peterson, Redondo Beach,Calif. 7 d Application March 24, 1950, Serial No. 151,599

7 Claims. (01. 312-411) This invention relates to a cabinet constructionand, more particularly, to a cabinet especially adapted and designed forfacilitating the trans,- portation, delivery and display of bakerygoods, such as pies, cakes, and the like.

Present methods of delivering bakery goods from a commercial bakery to aretail bakery store require considerable manual handling of the goods.In addition to the handling during delivery, the bakery goods may oftenagain be rehandled in the retail bakery store inorder to place thebakery goods in suitable display counters or cabinets. Obviously, .themore often bakery goods are handled, the greater is the danger ofdamaging the goods and rendering them unsalable.

Bakery goods, such as pies and cakes, require particularly carefulhandling. One present method of handling pies includes manually stackingthe pies in groups of four to eight pics. at

the commercial bakery, carrying a stack of pies to the delivery truck,placing the pies individually on closely spaced shelves provided in thetruck, removing the pies from the shelves and again stacking them forcarrying the pies into a bakery retail store. The delivered pics arethen usually placed in a suitable display counter by the operator of theretail store. In some instances, portable pie racks capable of carryingfromsix to twelve pies in a stack are provided for facilitating themanual carryingof pies at one time to and from a delivery truck. It isevident that the possibility of damaging pies deliveredby the abovemethod isvery great. a l

.When pies or other bakery goods are transported for delivery under theabove methods and when delivery trucks of well known form :are employed,the goods are not adequately pro tected against theft during a deliverystop, or

during an unexpected stop. It has been found that if a driver leaves histruck unattended for only a few moments, pettythievery of pics and cakeshas amounted, over a years time, to thousands of dollars for some largecommercial bakcries.

In view of theconsiderable handling of bakery goods and their exposureto petty thievery during delivery, there is obviously an urgent need forsome means which will reduce manual handling of the bakery goods to aminimum during delivery from a commercial bakery to a retail store andwhich will carry and transport-the goods in such a manner that they areprotected against damage and also protected against petty thievery. l

Therefore, the primary object of this invention is to provide an easilyportable, attractive, light-weight cabinet which may be utilized in sucha manner that handling of the goods is reduced to a minimum, that thegoods are. carried in a protected manner against bothdamage and pettythievery, and that the cabinet'is arranged to permit display of thebakery goods in a retail bakery store without further handlingof thegoods carried therein. d

An object of this invention' isyto design and provide a bakery cabinetwhich maybe readily moved into a truck for transportation and whereinadjacent similar cabinets carriedin the truck are readily .releasablyinterlocked together for removal of the goods from the cabinet. d Thisinvention contemplates a bakery cabinet such as that described abovewherein each compartment isprovided with a doorwhichisadapted to belocked in closed position andwherein all the doors to the compartmentsmay be locked bya common securing means. ,1 I This invention alsocontemplates a cabinet construction such asthat described above whereinmeans are provided in the cabinet for permitting circulation ofairtherethrough to maintain the goodsin a fresh and salable condition.

A further. object ofthis invention is to design and provide a cabinetconstruction of the type described above wherein the doors for each com}partment are adapted to be mounted flush with the plane of the front ofthe cabinet when in closed position, and when in open position the doorsare adapted to be disposed in overhead horizontal position for economyof space within the compartment andwith the forward edge of the doorflush with the plane of the front of the cabinet.

A still further object of this invention. is to designand provideazcabinet construction such as that described above wherein a novel,improved locking means is provided for each door which is readilyoperable and which does not interfere with the flush mounting of thedoor as described above.

This invention contemplates a cabinet constructed and arranged so as toembody many advantages which are particularly desirable in a cabinet fortransporting and displaying bakery goods and as specifically describedhereinafter.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparentfrom the following description of the drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a bakery cabinet embodying thisinvention.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the cabinet shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, tion of the forward portion of the cabinetshown in Fi l.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the left half of the cabinetshown in Fig. 2, the door to the lower compartment being shown in openposition and in partial section.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, front view of the locking means foreach compartment door.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, enlarged, sectional view of the locking meansshown in Fig. 5, the section being taken in a vertical plane indicatedby the line VI-VI of Fig 5.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary, enlarged view of one end of a locking bar usedwith the locking means shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, enlarged, perspective view of the other end ofthe locking bar used with the locking means shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, enlarged, sectional view taken in a verticalplane indicated by the line IX-IX of Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken in a vertical,transverse plane indicated by the line X-X of Fig. 3.

.Fig. 11 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the front of onecompartment of the cabinet illustrating a removable, transparent doorclosure permitting display of the goods within the compartment.

Fig. 11a is a fragmentary perspective view in section of the removabledoor arrangement of Fig. 11.

, Fig. 12 is a fragmentary top plan view of means for interlocking twoadjacent cabinets.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a V-shaped member forsecuring adjacentcabinets together.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary sectional View taken in the plane indicated byline XIV-XIV of Fig. 1. Referring to the drawings, the embodiment of arigidly constructed, light-weight cabinet for transporting anddisplaying bakery goods as shown comprises an upstanding, generallyrectangular cabinet of slightly greater depth than width, indicated inits entirety by I5, and preferably, made of any light weight metal alloymaterial, such as aluminum or magnesium. In general the cabinetillustrated includes a plurality of vertically arranged compartments,each provided with means for supporting a plurality of trays forcarrying bakery goods and with a flush-mounted door capable of beingmoved into an overlying horizontal position in the upper portion of thecompartment for permitting display and removal of bakery goods containedwithin the compartment. 7

The cabinet l5, being of light weight, is easily portable and may bestocked with goods at a enlarged, side elevacommercial bakery, placedupon a truck, and then removed from the truck to a retail bakery storewhere the cabinet may be used to display the goods without furtherhandling of the bakery goods.

The cabinet l5 comprises a rectangular, fiat base or bottom plate l6provided with depending flanges IT formed around the periphery of theplate, said flanges serving to provide a rigid base plate. Adjacent eachcorner of the base plate and secured by suitable nut and bolt assemublies [8 to the bottom surface thereof is a wheel and caster assemblygenerally indicated at IS. The wheels of the caster assemblies are ofsuflicient diameter to facilitate movement of the bakery cabinet overrough surfaces so that the cabinet may be easily wheeled on and off atruck.

At each corner of the base plate is secured an upstanding column or post20 formed of channel section for rigidity. As best seen in Figs. 1 and2, the channel sections are faced outwardly in opposite directions fromthe sides of the cabinet. The outward facing of posts 28 affordsconvenient handholds for the entire height of the cabinet at both frontand rear thereoffor facilitating handling of the cabinet. The two rearposts 29 may be connected to base plate 16 by angle clips 2| secured byrivets to the web of the post within the channel legs and by bolt andnut assemblies 22 to base plate IS. The front posts are secured insimilar manner except that the left front post (as viewed in Fig. 1) issecured by an angle clip 23 which extends only partially between thechannel legs in order to afford space for an end of a locking bar asdescribed in detail hereinafter.

It should be noted that the outer edges of the channel legs of posts 20are spaced slightly inwardly of the plane of the depending flanges ofthe bottom member to allow the flanges to act as bumping means forcontact against adjacent similar cabinets or other articles to affordprotection against damage to the cabinet while being handled. Also whencabinets are aligned in adjacent relationship the spacing thus providedbetween edges of opposed channel legs of posts 20 permits obtaining ahand-hold on the cabinet for separating one cabinet from another.

A top plate 24 of slightly smaller rectangular section than the baseplate 16 extends between and is secured to inner faces of the upper endsof posts 20. The top plate 24 is provided with depending peripheralflanges 25, the front depending flange having an inwardly bent andupwardly directed extension 26 for cooperation with the top compartmentdoor, as described later.

The cabinet may be divided into three compartments 21, disposed oneabove the other, and defined by transversely extending horizontalbulkheads 28 and crossmembers 29 extending between front postszll anddefining with said posts, door openings. The bulkheads 28 may be made ofsheet metal secured in any convenient manner to posts 20 and providedwith lightening openings in order to reduce the weight thereof. Thebulkheads 28 serve to brace and position posts 20 and provide greatrigidity in the cabinet construction.

The cross members 29 are secured to the forward legs of the channelcolumns by means of rivets 30 and may comprise virtually an anglesection having a vertical front leg 3| and a horizontal inwardlyextending leg 32. The horizontal leg 32 may be provided with anupstanding vertical lip 33 extending along its inner edge forpositioning a door as later described.

. A rear wall 34 .(Fig. 14) for the cabinet may be formed. of a single,elongated rectangular sheet or plate of metal secured in any convenientmanher as by inwardly flanged side edge margins riveted to the rearposts 20.

sidewalls 35 for the cabinet may comprise a plurality of horizontalpanels 36 and 31 arranged to interlock along their contiguous horizontaledges, the panels 36 being formed to support a plurality of virtuallyflat bakery trays. The panels 36 are preferably formed by a metalextrusion and have integrally formed on their inner surfaces a pluralityof virtually horizontal, rearwardly extending spaced pairs of ribs 38.The ribs forming each pair are spaced apart a sufli- -cient distance toreceive therebetween a, flanged edge of a bakery tray 39 indicated inFig. 4 by diagrammatic lines. The spaces between pairs of ribs areslightly greater than that between the ribs of each pair for the purposeof facilitating accurate, immediate, horizontal positioning of trayswithin the cabinet on the ribs 38.

i The slight difference'in the spacing of ribs 38 as above described isvery important because it positively reduces to a minimum thepossibility of introducing a tray in a slightly inclined position intothe compartment. This spacing of ribs 38 provides a guide by which outof horizontal positioning of the tray is immediately recognized justprior to introduction of a tray into a compartment and thus frequentinsertion and withdrawal of a tray to horizontally position the tray isobviated.

The upper portion of each panel 36 is formed with an inwardly offsetedge 40 which is snugly accommodated within a longitudinally extendinggroove 4| formed in the bottom edge portion of an adjacent correspondingpanel 36 Or panel 31 for interlocking adjacent panels.

Panels 31 are of somewhat different extruded form. Panels 31 areemployed in the cabinet "side walls in horizontal zones wherein crossmembers 29 and bulkheads 28 divide the cabinet into separatecompartments for extending between and connecting panels 36 forming themajor portion of side walls of adjacent compartments. Each panel 31 isof less width than a panel 36 and is provided with a groove 4| along itsbottom edge for interlocking engagement with an adjacent top offset edgeof a panel 36. Alongits upper edge portion, panel 31 is provided with aninwardly ofiset edge 40' for interlocking engagement with the groove inthe bottom edge of an adjacent upper panel 36. I

Each panel 31 is provided with an inwardly extending horizontal flange42 formed adjacent its bottom edge and spaced below an adjacent crossmember 29. The panel 31 may be provided with a central outwardly offsetlongitudinally extending portion.

The panels 36 and 3'! may be secured, to the webs of the adjacent posts20 in any convenient manner, as by spaced rivets.

This panel construction of the side walls of the cabinet affords rigidside walls provided by ribs 38 integrally formed therewith on innerpanel surfaces and by the interlocking of the adjacent panels whereinincreased thickness of metal is provided. This arrangement of the sidewalls of the cabinet facilitates replacement of a panel in the event ofdamage which might prevent the introduction and positioning of a bakerytray within a compartment. Securing the panels 36 and 31 to the webs ofthe channel section posts 20 spaces the panels inwardly of theplanedefined byfthe depending flanges of the bottom member and'thus thebottom member provides bumper protection for the side walls of thecabinet. i i

A door 43 is provided for the opening to each compartment 2 1. Each door43 comprises a virtually flat, thin, rectangular member of metal sheetor plate having inwardly extending peripheral flanges 44 affording 'asubstantially rigid door construction. Each door 43 is supported fromthe cabinet in similar manner. Each door supporting means includesspaced hangers 45 at corners of a door opening, each hanger including ashank 41 which is positioned between flange 42 and the bottom edge ofthe panel 31 and secured to post 20 by suitable means as rivets 46. Theshank 41 is offset inwardly at 48 and is provided with a forwardlyextending upstanding portion 49 provided with an outer diagonal edge 50and an inner vertical edge 52. Each door is provided with a transverseangle member 5| at each rear corner secured to rear flange 44 andpresenting a portion lying parallel to the plane of the door forcooperative fulcruming engagement with the inner edge 52 of theupstanding portion 49 of the hanger 45 when the door is closed.

In closed position, the outer surface of the door lies in the same planeas that defined by the outer surfaces of the forward legs of front posts20. The top portion of the door is held against outward movement byabutting engagement of members 5| against the inner edges 52of hangers45. The bottom flange of the door rests upon the horizontal leg 32 ofcross member 29 and the inner edge of bottom flange: 44 is positionedagainst lip 33 for determining the normal closed position of the door.

When the door' is in normal closed position, means for holdingandpreventing movement of trays 39include flat retaining straps 53extending along the sides of each door inwardly of the side flangesthereof for abuttingcontact with front edges of the bakery trays 39. Thestraps 53 ar e secured at one end to member 5| and at the other end tothe forward flange 44 in any suitable manner as by welding at 53a. Thuswhen the door is in closed position and locked, trays 39 are immovablyheld against movement within the compartment. "Movement of bakery goodscarried on the trays is minimized because'the impact of a sliding trayagainst walls of the cabinet will free and cause to slide anlarticlewhich would otherwise not rnove on the tray.

When the door 43 is moved to an upper overlying horizontalposition'within the cabinet about hangers :45, straps 53 rest upon theupper surface of the inwardly extending flanges 42 formed on panels 31for supporting the. door in a position which affordsgreatest economy ofspace within the, compartment. a

.Thediagonal edge 50 of the hanger together with theflange extensionzliaffords clearance for turning of the door about the hanger in order toslide it intooverhead position. When the door is in normal open positionthe bottom flange 44 of the door is arranged to .lie in a plane flushwith the outer surfacesof the posts 20 and is positioned ,by. contact ofthe forward edges 01' hanger 45 with flange 44. The flush mounting ofthe door with respect to the front of the cabi- .net whenthe door is inboth open and closed position affords an attractive arrangement of thecabinet. Such mounting, of. the. door in open position permitsutilization of an auxiliary display closure as described hereinafter.

Means for separately and independently looking each door 43 in closedposition comprises a generally rectangular lock base member 55, Figs.and 6, mounted in the central lower portion of each door. The basemember 55 includes an inwardly extending annular boss 56 having acentral bore therein through which extends a stub shaft 51. Adjacent tothe boss 58 the stub shaft fixedly carries a circular disk 58 having apair of oppositely directed arcuate slots 59, each slot 59 being formedabout an independent axis radially spaced from the axis of the shaft 51and with ends of each slot lying on opposite sides of the axis of shaft51. Each slot 59 affords a track for a pin 65 formed on an adjacent end62 of a locking rod 61, said end 62 being of semi-circular crosssection, as indicated in Fig. 8. Each rod 8| extends transversely acrossthe door and is slidably supported in an aperture Gla. (Fig. 4) formedin side flange 44 of the door.

Inwardly of slotted disk 58 a flat circular washer 83 is held in contactwith disk 58 by a spring washer 54, said spring washer being retained bya smaller washer 65 which is secured by a cotter pin 55, or othersuitable means, extending through a port in the inner end of shaft 51.

The opposite end of shaft 51 is formed with a pair of flattened parallelfaces 61 which are received between ears 68 formed centrally on anelongated horizontally disposed rectangular handle 69 pivotallyconnected to shaft 51 by a pin 59a. The ears 68 are of generallysemicircular cross section and are received wherein an annular recessformed in the outer surface of the lock base member 55, said door havinga circular aperture 1| corresponding to the recess 10. This arrangementpermits the handle 89 to lie in close overlying parallel relationship tothe outer surface of the door when not in use, and yet may be readilygrasped by pivoting the handle so that the plane of the handle isperpendicular to the plane of the door.

Aligned with each aperture Bla formed in the side flanges 44 of the dooris a port 12a provided in the web of the adjacent front post in order toreceive the end of rod BI when it is moved into its outermost position.The outer end of each locking rod 61 is provided with a transverse slot12 which extends approximately halfway through the rod.

When it is desired to lock each door independently of the other doors,handle 69 may be rotated to turn shaft 51 and slotted disk 58. As theslotted disk is turned the cooperative engagement of pins 60 with thearcuate edges of slots 59 will cause the rods 5! to move axiallyoutwardly away from the center of the door, the outer ends of rods 5!passing into the aligned ports 12a in posts 20. Rotation of disk 58through approximately 180" will simultaneously move the rods to theiroutermost positions for locking the door. Rotation of the disk in anopposite direction retracts the rods by reason of the cooperativeengagement of the pins with the arcuate slots 59 for unlocking the door.

Common securing and sealing means for all the doors in the cabinet toprevent opening during shipment is provided by a single locking bar 14of angle section which is slidably mounted in vertical position betweenchannel legs of the left front post 20. The bar 14 is provided withspaced slots 15, each terminating at one end in a circuof pin and slot19 will cause lar aperture to receive the outer endof rod 6| when movedto outermost position. When the rods 5! are in looking position, slot 12is aligned with the marginal edge of slot 15 and is adapted to slidablyreceive the marginal edge when the bar is moved downwardly for holdingeach rod 6! in extended position and thus looking all of the doors.

When the doors are in open position, the looking bar 14 is held byslidable interengagement of spaced slots 16 and guide buttons 11 mountedon the web of post 20.

Means for operating locking bar 14 is provided by a circular disk 18having an eccentric transverse slot 19 (Figs. 3 and 4) accommodating apin 88 which extends through the top portion of the locking bar 14 andthe forward leg of the column of the post 28. The pin 88 may be carriedby a circular member 82 provided with spaced lugs 83 receivingtherebetween an end of an elongated rectangular locking handle 84 whichis pivotally connected by a pin 85 to said lugs. Upon rotation of handle84 in a plane generally parallel to disc 18 cooperative engagement thelocking bar to slidahly move downwardly for positioning the marginaledges of the slot 15 in the slot 12 in each locking rod 6|. Turninghandle 84 in a reverse direction will move bar 14 upwardly for releasingrocls 6|.

The lower end of handle 84 may be received between spaced lugs 81 formedon post 20, said lugs and, said handle being provided with alignedtransverse bores to permit insertion therethrough of a wire element forsealing and locking of the doors, or a suitable locking device, such asa padlock may be inserted therethrough for locking the doors in closedposition.

It will be apparent that when the doors are closed and the rods 6| havebeen moved outwardly into cooperative interlocking engagement with thefront posts, the ends 6| projecting through the left front posts 28 aresimultaneously engaged by movement of the locking bar 14 for securingall of the doors. The locking bar 14 is protected by its mountingbetween the legs of the channel section post from damage during transit.

In order to permit each door to be raised to overhead position, eachlocking rod BI is provided with a relatively wide, transverselyextending slot 88 formed inwardly of slot 12 for loosely receiving thediagonal edge 50 of the hangers 45 in order to permit the locking rods6! to pass over and behind the upstanding portion 49. It will beapparent that when the door is in horizontal position, the lower edge ofrod 6| is positioned slightly below the'top edge of the upstandingportion 49 in order to prevent accidental movement of the door outwardlyfrom its horizontal open position.

Ventilation for the cabinet is provided by outwardly bent portions 90formed on side depending flanges of the top plate and spaced as at 96cfrom the adjacent top portion of panel 31, spacer pads 9| being providedbetween the outwardly bent portions 90 and the panels 31. Introductionof air into the cabinet is thus provided by spaces 90a and the air maycirculate through the interior of the cabinet when the doors are closedby flowing along the side and rear walls and through the lighteningopenings in the bulkheads 28. The goods are thus maintained in a freshand salable condition within the cabinet during deliyery'eventhough thedoors of the cabinet are closed and locked. Means forlocking adjacentcabinets together in a unitary assembly for transportation or dis; playpurposes thereof may be provided by a plurality of U-shaped clips 92(Figs. 12 and 13), the spacedlegs 93 of which are adapted to beaccommodated within top open ends of posts 20 enclosed by spacer membersor bumpers 94 fitted on the top ends of said columns. It will be readilyapparent that the spacer legs may be dropped into the adjacent top openends of the posts when the cabinets are placed in aligned relationshipfor holding the cabinets together and may be readily removed forseparating one cabinet from another cabinet by merely lifting theU-shaped members upwardly and out of the open ends of the posts.

Each spacer member 94 is provided with a side wall 95 having an outersurface which lies in the same plane as the outer surface of thedepending flange of the base plate so that when the cabinets are alignedin abuting relationship play between the cabinets is reduced to aminimum and a row of cabinets may be held together as a a unit.

In Figs. 11 and 11a areshown an auxiliary, transparent closure 91 whichis adapted to be removably mounted at the side of the door opening ofeach compartment for displaying the goods therewithin while affordingprotection thereto from dust, dirt, or other foreign particles. The flatrectangular transparent closure 91 is made of any suitable transparentmaterial, preferably an unbreakable material such as Lucite, Plexiglasor the like and carried in a metal rectangular frame 98 of Ucross-section. Attached to the metalframe 98 atone side of closure 91 isa hinge 99 which may be connected to a vertical edge of an elongatedplate I adapted to lie against the inner face of the adjacent post (theright post in Fig. 11) The plate I00 is provided with buttons lfllhaving enlarged heads spaced from the plate and receivable within upperenlarged ports of respective key slots I02. When the door is droppeddownwardly the buttons lock with the lower portion of slots I02. Theclosure 91 isthus removably mounted in the door opening when the metaldoor 43 is moved to overhead position by merely positioning the hingededge of the door against the key slotted post 20, engaging the buttonsand the key slots, and permitting the door to drop slightly forsecurement thereof. The closure 91 is thus supported in the door openingwith its outer face virtually flush with the plane defined by the outersurface of the posts 20.

It is important to note that the interlocking panel construction of theside walls of the cabinet construction described above facilitates thefabrication and manufacture of cabinets having compartments of varyingheight so that a single, double, or other multiple compartment cabinetmay be readily and easily provided. Variations in the height of thecompartments are readily accomplished by adding or subtracting panels 36or 31 in assembly of the side wall structure. Whilethe illustrationshows an arrangement of two panels 36 assembled on opposite sides of apanel 31, it is obvious that more than two panels 36 may be assembled ininterlocking relationship before employment of a compartment definingpanel 31. Since the panels are formedby metal extrusion and are readilyadapted to be assembled in adjacent interlocking relationship, theadvantage ofthis construction varying multiple obvious. i r a i i Itvwillthusbe readily apparent to those skilled in the art that animproved cabinet construction has been provided bythisinvention which isattractive, lightweight, easilyportable, and readily utilized forfacilitating transportation and display of bakery goodswhich must becarefully handled. The spacing of the ribs38, as described above, hasbeen arranged so that when a tray of bakery goods is inserted into thecabinet, the position of the tray withrespect, to horizontal will becomereadily: apparent and quickly recog nized by the party inserting thetray. It should also be noted that the trays are automatically held bythe doors innon-slidable and fixed position by the doors when the doorsare locked for delivery of the bakery goods contained in the cabinet.The common securing means for looking all of the doors and thearrangement of the operable handle for the securing means with thespacer lugs on the post 20 provides a sealing means for readilydetermining whether or not the doors to the cabinet have been opened byunauthorized persons.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that variousmodifications or changes may be made in the embodiment of the inventionillustrated above and that all such changes and modifications comingwithin the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby. I claim:

1. A lightweight cabinet construction for transporting and displayingbakery goods comprising: top and bottom fiat, horizontal, rectangularplates having depending peripheral flanges, said bottom plate being ofgreater width than said top plate and presenting sidewardly extendingmarginal portions; front and rear posts of channel section supported onsaid marginal portions and connected to depending flanges of said topplate, the channels of said posts opening sidewardly to forrnlongitudinally extending hand holds; a rear wall connected to said rearposts; side walls connected respectively to said front and rear postseach side wall comprising extruded compartment panelshaving integrallyformed pairs of horizontal inwardly extending spaced tray-supportingribs, and extruded con: necting panels at selected spaced intervalshavingtop and bottom edges interlocked with adjacent compartment panels,each of said connecting panels havingan inwardly extending horizontalrib adapted to support a door in overhead horizontal open position;horizontal bulkheads connected to and extending between oppositeconnecting side panels to define compartments in said cabinet; crossbars connecting front posts in the horizontalzones' of the connectingpanels and defining with the front posts front openingsto saidcompartments; aflat door hung from said connecting panels and having aninwardly, spaced vertical strap along each side edge adapted to contactand immovably hold trays carried within said compartments when said dooris closed; a second channel membercarried at the top of in thefabrication of compartment cabinets is each post, web port ons of thesecond channels on each side lying in the vertical plane of thedepending flanges of the bottom plate, whereby said bottomperipheralflanges and said web portions provide bumper means, for contact of aplurality of cabinetsin adjacent side-by-side relation;,,said-webportions being adapted to cooper- 11 ate with a coupling device fortightly holding adjacent cabinets in side -by-side relation.

2. A lightweight cabinet construction for transporting and displayingbakery goods comprising: top and bottom flat, horizontal, rectangularplates having depending peripheral flanges, said bottom plate being ofgreater width than said top plate and presenting sidewardly extendingmarginal portions; front and rear posts of channel section supported onsaid marginal portions and connected to depending flanges of said topplate, the channels of said posts opening sidewardly to formlongitudinally extending hand holds; a rear wall connected to said rearposts; side walls connected respectively to said front and rear posts,each side wall comprising extruded compartment panels having integrallyformed pairs of horizontal inwardly extending spaced tray-supportingribs, and extruded connecting panels at selected spaced intervals havingtop and bottom edges interlocked with adjacent compartment panels, eachof said connecting panels having an inwardly extending horizontal ribadapted to support a door in overhead horizontal open position;horizontal bulkheads connected to and extending between ppositeconnecting side panels to define compartments in said cabinet; crossbars connecting front posts in the horizontal zones of the connectingpanels and defining with the front posts front openings tosaidoompartments; a fiat'door hung from said connecting panels andhaving an inwardly spaced vertical strap along each side edge adapted tocontact and immovably hold trays carried within said compartments whensaid door is closed; and a second channel-like member carried at the topof each post, web portions of the channel-like members on each sidelying in the vertical plane of the depending flanges of the bottomplate, whereby said bottom peripheral flanges and said web portionsprovide bumper means for contact of a plurality of cabinets in adjacentside-by-side relation.

3. -A lightweight cabinet construction for transporting and displayingbakerygoods comprising: top and bottom flat, horizontal, rectangularplates having depending peripheral flanges, said bottomplate being ofgreater width than said top plate and presenting sidewardly extendingmarginal portions; front and rear posts of channel section supported onsaid marginal portions and connected to depending flanges of said topplate; a rear wall connected to said rear posts; side walls connectedrespectively to said front and rear posts, each side walL comprisinginterlocked extruded compartment panels having integrally formedpairs ofhorizontal inwardly extending spaced tray-supporting ribs, and extrudedconnecting panels at selected spaced intervals having top and bottomedges interlocked with adjacent compartment panels, said connectingpanels having an inwardly extending horizontal rib adapted to support adoor in overhead open position; horizontal bulkheads connected to andextending between opposite connecting side panels to define compartmentsin said cabinet; cross bars connecting front posts in the horizontalzones of the'connecting panels and defining with the'front posts frontopenings to said compartments; aflat door hung from said connectingpanels; a second channel-like member carried at the top of each'post,web portions of each of the secondchannel-like members on each sidelying in thevertical pianeof thedepending flanges of the bottom plate,whereby 12 said bottom peripheral flanges and said web pontions providebumper means for contact of a P1119 rality of cabinets in adjacentside-by-side relation; said web portions being adapted to cooper atewith a coupling device for tightly holding adjacent cabinets inside-by-side relation. 1

4. A lightweight cabinet construction for transporting and displayingbakery goods comprising: top and bottom flat, horizontal, rectangularplates having depending peripheral flanges, said bottom plate being ofgreater width than said top plate and presenting sidewardly extendingmarginal portions; front and rear posts of channel section supported onsaid marginal portions and connected to depending flanges of said topplate; a rear Wall connected to said rear posts; side walls connectedrespectively to said front and rear posts, each side wall comprisingextruded compartment panels having integrally formed pairs of horizontalinwardly extending spaced tray supporting ribs, and extruded connectingpanels at selected spaced intervals having top and bottom edgesinterlocked with adjacent compartment panels, said connecting panelshaving an inwardly extending horizontal rib adapted tosupport a door inoverhead horizontal open position; cross bars connecting front posts inthe horizontal zones of the connecting panels and defining with thefront posts front openings; a fiat door hung from said connectingpanels; and a. second channel-like member carried at the top of eachpost, web portions of the channel-likemembers-on each sid lying in thevertical plane of the depending flanges of the bottom plate.

5. A lightweight cabinet construction for transporting and displayingbakery goods, comprising: top and bottom flat rectangular walls havingdepending peripheral fianges, said bottom Wall bein of greater widththan said top wall and presenting sidewardly extending marginalportions; front and rear posts supported on said marginal-portions andconnected to the depending flangesof said top wall; a rear wallconnecting said rear posts; side walls connecting said front-and rearposts and comprising a plurality of selectively arranged extrudedcompartment panels, each having integrally formed pairs of inwardlyextending spaced tray supporting ribs, the spacing be tween pairs ofsaid ribs being greater than the spacing between ribs of each pair forfacilitating virtually horizontal insertion of trays into said cabineton corresponding opposed ribs, each side wall including extrudedconnecting panels at selected spaced intervals having top and bottomedges interlocked with adjacent compartment panels, each connectingpanel having an inwardly extending horizontal rib adapted to support adoor in overhead horizontal open position; cross bars connecting frontposts in the horizontal Zones of the connecting panels and defining with.the front posts front openingsgand a-flat'door hung from saidconnecting ,panels and slidablymovable upon said horizontal ribs intosaid open position.

6. In a lightweight cabinet construction including top-and bottom wallsconnectedby front and rear posts, a rear Wall and spaced cross barsconnecting the front posts for defining-therewith front openings tocompartments of the cabinet construction, the combination of:side-wa1ls'comprising a plurality of extruded compartment panelsselectively arranged in groups,'each'group forming a side wall for-eachcompartment, each compartment panelhaving integrally formed sets of atleast two horizontal inwardly extending spaced ribs, each set of ribsbeing spaced apart a distance greater than the spacing of the ribs ofeach set and defining readily observable sets of ribs to facilitatevirtually horizontal positioning of trays within said compartments; saidextruded compartment panels being formed with integral means on top andbottom edges thereof for interlocking adjacent compartment panels; saidside walls including panels connecting said groups of compartment panelsat selected spaced intervals and having means on top and bottom edgesthereof adapted to interlock with the means on the adjacent compartmentpanels, each connecting panel having an inwardly extending horizontalrib adapted to support a door in overhead open position. and means onsaid connecting panels for hanging a door therefrom.

7. A side wall construction for a cabinet having top and bottom walls, arear wall, front and rear posts connecting said top and bottom walls andspaced cross bars defining an opening to a compartment formed by thecabinet, comprising: at least one extruded compartment panel having aplurality of integrally formed sets of at least two horizontal inwardlyextending spaced ribs, each set of ribs being spaced apart a distancegreater than the spacing of the ribs of each set, whereby horizontalpositioning of trays on ribs of opposed sets on opposite side walls ofthe compartment is facilitated; and extruded connecting panels above andbelow the extruded compartment panel, each connecting panel having aninwardly extending horizontal rib adapted to support a door inhorizontal overhead open position and having means for positioning saiddoor thereon in vertical position in said opening; and integral extrudedmeans on top and bottom edges of the compartment panel cooperativelyinterlocked with corresponding extruded integral means on the adjacenttop and bottom edges of the connecting panels.

ALBIN K. PETERSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 497,406 Du Bois May 16, 1893 1,207,595 Miller Dec. 5, 19161,477,056 Hager Dec. 11, 1923 1,873,485 Rowe Aug. 23, 1932 2,138,560Stuart Nov. 29, 1938 2,241,884 Noble May 13, 1941 2,503,599 Smayda Apr.11, 1950 2,532,942 Reimer Dec. 5, 1950

